Montblanc’s 1858 Watches Get a Handsome Bronze and Green Makeover

Upshot: Montblanc is expanding its popular 1858 line with three bronze-cased models with khaki green dials, inspired by “the spirit of the great outdoors,” as well as a steel model. There are two new 1858 automatic watches (one in a fully-bronze 40mm case with a green dial, and the other with a steel case and a black dial), as well as a chronograph in a 42mm bronze case with a green dial and a bronze version of the Geosphere with a green dial.

Who It’s For: The Geosphere from the 1858 Collection was a big hit at 2018’s SIHH, so it’s seems a foregone conclusion that the brand would expand upon this model’s success (and that of the 1858 Collection in general) by offering a different take on the watch(es). Bronze (and khaki green, for that matter) isn’t for everybody, but for those who are looking for something a bit different in a wristwatch’s aesthetics, these new versions could be attractive options.

Insight: The combination of a bronze case and a green dial is something that worked well recently for a special version of the Oris Pointer Date as well as new editions of the IWC Pilot’s Watch line, and it looks no less interesting here in Montblanc’s new novelties. In terms of watchmaking, these three models (Geosphere, Automatic and Automatic Chronograph) from within the 1858 collection aren’t new this year, but their expansion into different dial and case colors (and materials) seems a logical move for Montblanc.